Sealing gasket



R. L. LANDIS SEALING GASKET March 6, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April14, 1958 INVENTOR. ROBERT L. LAND/S ATTORNEYS m W... m &

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L x\ FF i: 22b H March 6, 1962 R. L. LANDlS SEALINGGASKET Filed April 14, 1958 a w I v 1 i INVENTOR.

ROBERT L. LAND/S Uited States Patent Ofifice 3,023,4fi6 Patented Mar. 6,1962 3,023,466 SEALING GASKET Robert L. Landis, 2774 Kring Drive, SanJose, Calif. Filed Apr. 14, 1958, Ser, No. 723,447 1 Claim. (Ci. 20-69)The present invention relates to a seal, and pertains more particularlyto a sealing gasket for railway refrigerator car doors.

In the past, many different structures have been employed for thesealing of railway refrigerator car doors. However, most of such sealshave proven to be less than fully satisfactory. The action of the carwhile moving, the variations of climate to which the cars are exposed,and the rough, and sometimes abusive treatment to which they aresubjected during loading and unloading, present a serious sealingproblem.

Some attempts have been made in the past to provide a hollow, resilientgasket for this purpose, but it has been difficult to attain such a sealwhich would seal properly, and adhere to the door frame structure at thecorners of the car door opening.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a new unitary cardoor seal which is of continuous, hollow construction throughout, andwherein the corner portions are capable of being firmly and permanentlysecured to the supporting frame structure without danger of openiug upor coming loose.

The invention also provides an improved, hollow, car door sealing gasketof resilient material which is adapted to be secured in place bynailing, and additionally if desired by sheet metal anchor membersinserted through slits provided therefor in the under side of eachcorner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved andsimplified sealing gasket for a railroad refrigerator car door. Theseand other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, consisting oftwo sheets, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of one form of refrigerator car doorseal embodying the invention, intermediate side portions thereof beingbroken away, and one corner portion being shown in section, metal anchormembers being shown inserted therein.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view in reduced scale through arefrigerator car door structure, showing the door in closed condition,and in compressing, sealing relation with the sealing gasket shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sheet metal corner anchoring insertshown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view taken transverselythrough a door sealing gasket of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a nailbeing shown in solid lines in fully driven condition, and in brokenlines ready to be driven through the anchor member.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. andshowing a modified form of sealing gasket anchored to a supporting framemember.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing the body portionof the gasket swung upwardly to expose the bottom flap for stapling tothe frame.

FIG. 7 is a plan view in reduced scale of a lower die for molding agasket corner structure onto two extruded straight gasket portions, theupper die being removed.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken as along line 8-8 of FIG. 7, butshowing the upper die closed on the lower die and the molded gasketcorner portion therein.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the underside of a corner portionof a gasket similar to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, and illustratingthe method of inserting metal anchor members therein, the straightanchor strips being shown inserted in the gasket.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view in reduced scale of a corner portion of thegasket shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Briefly, the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 8 and 9comprises an integral, hollow door gasket A in the form of a rectangularframe for completely surrounding a railway refrigerator car door openingit) (FIG. 1). The complete gasket A (FIG. 1) comprises four straight,hollow gasket side portions 11, 12, i3 and 14, and four identical cornerportions 15 formed integrally onto the adjoining corner portions of theside portions 1114. The straight side portions 11-14 are ofconventional, extruded gasket construction, and of suitable resilient,weather-resistant material, such as, for example, rubber, neoprene orplastic.

The gasket A is fitted onto a frame 17 provided therefor within the cardoor opening 10, and is secured in place thereon by nails 13, driventhrough the gasket A, through anchor members I9 and 39 fitted into thegasket, and on into the supporting frame 17 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Acorner fastening tab 29 is provided on the outer side of each moldedcorner portion 15 for fastening to the frame 17 as by nails 21 (FIG. 1).

In the modified form B of the invention shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 10, nometal anchor members are required. In this modified form of theinvention, a bottom flap 22, formed integrally on a gasket body portion23, is secured by fasteners, such as staples 24, to a supporting frame25 similar to the frame 17 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4-.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and describing first the form A ofthe invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4-, 8 and 9, the four straight sideportions 1144 of conventional extruded gasket material, are first cut tolength so tha when the uniform corner portions 15 are molded integrallythereon, as shown in FIGS. 1, '7 and 9, the gasket A will be in the formof a rectangular frame which will fit exactly into a seat 27 (FIGS. 2and 4) provided therefor in the frame 17 surrounding a car door opening10 in which the gasket is adapted to be mounted. A suitable type of moldC for forming the corner portions 15 is shown some what diagrammaticallyin FIGS. 7 and 8.

As illustrated, this is an injection type of mold, wherein a charge ofmolding material 26 is injected under pressure into the mold through agate opening 26a. The molding material 26 preferably i injected into thecorner cavity 32 of the mold so as to have minimum disturbing efiect ona core or mandrel 29 therein.

A lower molding die 28 has means, such as shallow channels 31 (FIGS. 7and 8) for receiving in interfitted relation therein the end portions ofan adjoining pair of extruded side members 11a and 12a (corresponding toportions 11 and 12 of FIG. 1).

A core member 2?, curved through an angle of and having across-sectional configuration corresponding to that of the hollowinteriors of the extruded side members Ila and 12a, is fitted into thesemembers as shown in FIG. 7. The lower die cavity 31 is extended at 32 inthe form of a right angle to provide the corner tab 20 (FIGS. 1, 8 and9) on each corner portion 15a molded therein, by which the corners 15 ofthe completed gasket A can be securely fastened to the frame 17 as bynails 21 (FIG. 1). This fastening of the corners prevents the corners ofthe gasket from curling away from the frame 17 during use, a frequentcause of trouble in prior gaskets.

The end faces 33 of the straight, extruded, gasket side members 11a and12a which are exposed within the mold C may be coated or treated inaccordance with conventional molding practice so as to form a strong,integral bond with the molding material 15a with which the mold C isfilled. After the mold C has been filled with suitable molding material,the mold is closed, as shown in FIG. 8, and, in accordance withconventional and Well known molding practice the molding material 26 isinjected therein. The mold may be heated to heat treat the completedcorner portion 15a, to cause the material to conform to the mold C tovulcanize it if necessary, and to bond it substantially integrally ontothe exposed end faces 33 of the gasket side members 11a and 12a.

After the molding operation is completed, the mold C is opened, and thecompleted corner structure 15, with the core 29 still remaining therein,is removed from the mold. The gate portion 26a is cut ofi flush with thecorner portion 2%, and a slit 34 (FIG. 9) is then out completely throughthe bottom wall of the gasket. This slit extends around the cornerportion 15 and for short distances, as at 37 and 38, along the straightextruded side portions. The slit 38 along one of the side portions 12 isslightly longer than one leg of a substantially L-shaped metal corneranchoring member 39 which is to be inserted therein. The slit 34 thenmay be opened and the core 29 removed.

For shipping the gasket A, it is preferred that the corner anchormembers 39 and the straight side anchor strips 19 be omitted from thegasket. The gasket may then be folded or rolled as required to permit itto be shipped in a relatively small shipping container.

For using the gasket A, a straight strip 19 of suitable metal such asmild steel and of a size to fit freely into the gasket opening 30, andto rest on the bottom thereof as shown in FIG. 9, is inserted into eachof the straight, extruded side portions 11-14 of the completed gasket A.These anchor strips 19 may be inserted in the manner shown for insertingthe corner anchor 39 in FIG. 9. The corner anchoring members 39 may beof material similar to the anchor strips 19, and of the same width. Eachcorner anchor 39 preferably has two legs 40 and 41 extending at rightangles to each other, and with a shallow groove 42 formed lengthwise ofeach leg thereof to assist in positioning the nails 18 which anchor thecorner portions 15 of the gasket to the frame 17. After the anchormembers 19 and 39 are inserted in the gasket A, suitable fastenings,such as the nails 18 (FIGS. 2 and 4) then are driven through the topwall 43 of the gasket A, through the anchor members 19 or 39, as thecase may be, and into the frame 17. The heads 18a of these fasteners aredriven entirely through the top wall 43 of the gasket by use of asuitable tool, such as a conventional nail set, not shown, to seatedcondition on the anchor member 19 or 39, as the case may be.

The modified form B of the invention shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 10 may beused satisfactorily without any metal anchor members whatever. In thisform of the invention, straight gasket side portions 47 and 48 (FIG. 10)are of extruded gasket material having a hollow body portion 23 (FIGS.and 6) and having the bottom flap 22 formed integrally thereon andjoined thereto along one side edge 22a of the flap 22.

Four similar corner portions 44 (FIG. are molded integrally ontoadjoining portions of four straight extruded side portions, such as themembers 47 and 48, arranged to form a rectangular frame similar to themembers 11-44 in FIG, 1. The straight side portions 47 and 43 are of thecross-sectional shape shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A continuation 22b of theflap 22 is formed to extend around each corner portion 44, and toconnect integrally and continuously endwise with the flaps 22 on theadjacent straight gasket portions 47 and 48. Corner fastening tabs 45,similar to the tabs 20 on gasket A, are provided one on each moldedcorner portion 44.

The core or mandrel, not shown, but similar to the mandrel 29 of FIG. 8,and which is used in molding the corner portions 44, is removed from thecompleted gasket B through a slit 51 (FIG. 10) through the bottom wall52 (FIGS. 5 and 6) similar to the slit 34 in FIG. 6. I

For securing the completed, rectangular gasket B to a car door frame 25(FIGS. 5 and 6) the body portion 23 of the gasket B is swung upwardly,as shown in solid lines in FIG. 6, and the flap 22 is then secured inplace by staples 24, driven through the flap 22 and into the supportingframe 25 at intervals preferably of a few inches. It is possible to thusexpose the flap 22 for stapling throughout almost the entire length ofeach straight side portion 47 and 48, up to within a few inches of eachcorner portion 44. This stapling, together with the nailing of eachcorner tab 45 to the frame 25, securely and permanently secures thegasket onto the frame 25.

It is to be noted that the gaskets A and B are provided with bottom ribs49 and top ribs 50 for improved contact with the car door D (FIG. 2) andsupporting frames .17 and 25. Since such ribs are conventional in gasketconstruction, and since they are not material to the invention they arenot described in detail herein.

The invention provides a simple, integral gasket which may be easily andquickly secured in place around the door opening of a refrigerator carand which, when mounted thereon, will provide full overall contact withthe door including the corners thereof and these corners will be freefrom any danger of opening up or from pulling away from the frame whichin the past have been major causes for dissatisfaction with prior typesof gaskets used for sealing refrigerator car door openings.

The invention further provides a gasket which is clean, provides nolodging place for moisture or dirt and which is well adapted towithstand the use and abuse to which such gaskets are subjected.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention and a modified form thereof, it will be understood,however, that various changes and modifications may be made in thedetails thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A refrigerator car door sealing gasket comprising four straight sideportions of hollow, resilient gasket material, each of a length toconform to one side of a refrigerator car door frame on which the gasketis adapted to be mounted, said gasket material having a fiat under sideand a domed top, said straight side portions being arranged to define arectangle of a sizecorresponding to that of a car door frame upon whichthe gasket is adapted to be mounted, arcuate gasket corner portionsintegrally joined to the adjacent ends of said straight gasket portions,each corner portion being similar in cross-sectional configuration tothe straight side portions and in continuation thereof, a flatsubstantially triangular nailing tab extending laterally outward fromthe perimeter of the gasket at only the convex side of each cornerportion and having its straight outer edges aligned with the straightouter edges of said straight gasket side portions and merging therewith,and a nailing flap formed integrally with the gasket and secured theretoalong its outer edge throughout the entire length of the gasket, thenailing flap normally lying beneath the gasket and in close proximity tothe under side thereof, whereby the gasket can be bent upwardly relativeto the flap to expose the latter for nailing to an underlying frame, theresiliency of the gasket material returning the gasket to close,overlying relation to the flap upon release of the gasket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSKuenzli Dec. 2, 1941 Wright Apr. 7, 1942 Shields June 26, 1945 KusiakOct. 16, 1951 Bush et a1 Feb. 28, 1956

